The Democratic advocate., 1887-07-16

| Dy Claims Tor rent anu taxes.
at exists only in dreamland," l answer
ed: 1--WE can never find it; more's the pity!
dreamed of it again last night. found
a little room which I had never seen be
fore"
II wish one could find little rooms one
had never seen before in real houses, said
Agnes. "How delightful it would be tc
find one in this Open your letters, moth
er; there may be one to tell us Of some nice
house. hope there is; we ought to &C
away soon."
"Well ?" inquired the girls in breath,
when laid down letter | had been read
ing. ''Mrs. Trevor thinks that Caldwell
Hall might suit us. 1t seven miles from
here, and about the same distance from your
dear Scarboro."
aNot wholly in the busy world, etc, said
Ruth.
aPerhaps half is better than the whole, y
murmured Agnes, doubtfully.
II will 90 down to Yorkshire and see
it." said |; for Mrs. Trevor was an old
friend of mine.
I went, and next day saw Caldwell Hall
1t was a complete failure. Not only would
it have made the girls miserable, but me,
too 1t stood as if dropped on the bare
ground, without tree or shrub of even o
sprig of heather near it. 1t was ugly,
modern and pretentious; even Scarboro in
its glory would have been more bearable to
me, for there should have had the sea.
care you quite sure you could not make
Caldwell do?" said Mrs. Trevor, in the
evening.
"Quite. l detest it."
"Lealholm is more the kind of place you
would like" said she.
sLealholm is Lealholm ?" asked
eagerly; the name pleased me.
at is a house that belongs to friend of
mine-Lady Olive Baines, a delightful old
place, with fine pictures, china, books; in
fact, everything any one can want, includ.
ing ghost. The ghost is lady dressed
in gray-people are always fancying they
see her. That's why Lady Olive wants to
let it; she can get no servants to stay"
"To let i'll" exclaimed, for in a moment
it flashed on my mind that this was the
hous ell should end by taking, the very house
l had unconsciously come so far to see,
"Why didn't you tell me of it before
Perhaps it would do for me-
II am sure it wouldn't" she answered;
''it is large place, the rent will be very
high. Besides, she wants to let it for sew
cral years"
"Shs might make some temporary ar
ranoement." continued eagerly; ''anyhow,
l must see it"
"You forget that what is SO iHoonyenient
to her would be inconvenient to you-no
servants would stay with you.
sLet us go and see it !" said; that was
all l cared for.
"You surely don't want to take it, when
there are such drawbacks p
ayes, I do. IF like it, [ will take it.
PART II.-MRs. TREvoRs STORY.
As Mrs. Arbuthnot was so anxious to see
Lealholm, we went there next day. The
heavy rain had brought out the color Of
eyerything-felds,t trees and flowers looked
doubly bright and beautiful-our drive was
delicious. Lealholm was long, low, gray
stone house, with a great many windows.
Just as we were approaching it, was COM
municating an interesting bit of local gossip
to my friend, but saw that she was only
giving half her mind to what | was saying.
'You are thinking of something else |
said.
s'Oh, no; was only looking at the house,
she answered.
II ike it doR't YOU"
ayes, I like it" she said, but did not
seem to want to say more.
The housekeeper received us. Mrs. Ar.
buthnot, with half frightened face, looked
np and down and around the hall in silence
Surely. she was not beginning to be afraid
of seeing the ghost already.
'Have you any misgiyipgs?" whisper
ed, with an amused smile. HAFe you be-
ginning to wish we had not come ?"
1? Oh, no." she answered; but still
she uttered no word of admiration or liking
s'What good hail. exclaimed, for hel
apparent dissatisfaction was disappointing
to me.
She looked anxiously about her, aud still
kept silence. glanced from her to the
housekeeper, who was looking discreetly
unconscious of anything that was passing
and said in a whisper, II am sorry | said
that; l ought not to admire anything If you
want to make bargain.
''It's not that, Lucy" she replied gently
and followed the housekeeper into the
dining room. When there, she gave one
quick, searching glance around, and then
almost shut her eyes, as if refusing to see
more at is much too large a place fol
her, l thought; ''she sees it is. ]"
The housekeeper pointed out pictures
que old mantelpiece. Mrs. Arbuthnot sci
her lips firmly together, as if resolutely
bearing pain or distress of some unwonted
kind.
"My DEAR" l said, when | saw how pale
and strange she looked, "are you i'll? Are
you feeling faint ?''
"Hush," she whispered, cit is nothing
Take 10 notice of me now.
The housekeeper continued to expatiatt
| on the merits Of the dining-room, and Mrs
Arbuthnot ecame more like herself. "It
is warm in winter and cool in summer
This table will seat a party of fourteen
quite comfortably, and it draws out as re-
quired You are looking at the pictures
madam-they are very much thought of in
the county"
aRut the lady in the blue dress, said
Mrs, ArbutiHot, II don't see her
aMy DEAR | once more exclaimed, and
my voice sounded strangely, even 10 my:
self; but was she taking leave of her senses
81 am sure don't know what | was
thinking Of" she said, very humbly.
"Oh, but you are quite right, madam
the lady is quite right about that picture,
said the housekeeper, taking Laura's part
against me, her oppressor. 'At least l be-
lieve she is, for | have only lived in hel
ladyship's family for three months; but the
butler did tell me that one of the ladies
portraits in the dining room had been taken
down to 60 to some exhibition. You know
the house, madam ?"
II must have heard something about the
pictures Mrs. Arbuthnot replied; 'bui
most people have ladies in light blue among
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